How does Graff persuade Ender to go to Battle School?When Ender is leaving to learn how to fight a war, he takes Graff's hand. Why does Orson Scott Card (OSC) include this action? Use text evidence to support your answer.

Graff persuades Ender to go with him by explaining to him how much they need him and how much a an asset he’d be to the Battle School, “But if there’s a chance that because you’re with the fleet, mankind might survive and the buggers might leave us alone forever-then I’m going to to ask you to do it. To come with me” (Card 25). Earlier in the conversation, after Ender agrees to go, he states that he is afraid. He could have taken Graff’s hand for comfort, or he thought, from that point on, that Graff could be his only friend.

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Troop 6

10/30/2014 12:04:35 pm

In the story, Graff persuades Ender to go to Battle School by saying that he is a nuisance to his whole family and no one is going to miss him for long. He also tells Ender that he causes tension in the house because he is a third. In addition, Graff talks to Ender about how his parents didn’t really want a third. The text states “ Well no one really wants a third anymore you can’t expect them to be glad,” (Card 22). He’s the outcast of his family and society because no one has a third child. Near the end of the chapter, the text states, “‘Goodbye,’ Ender said to his family. He reached up and took Graff’s hand, and walked out the door with him” (Card 26). This most likely is included to show that Ender is afraid of what he is going to face in battle school. We also think that Graff is befriending Ender to show him that he is not alone and that he can be the best. He is also trying to be his friend to help persuade him to come to battle school. Also, in the text it says “‘Your brother hates you because you are living proof that he wasn’t good enough. Your parents resent you because of all the past they are trying to evade”’ (Card 23). This helps convince Ender to leave with Colonel Graff because it shows he won’t really be missed, and that he can do much more at battle school.

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Troop 1

10/30/2014 12:05:54 pm

Graff persuades Ender into going to Battle School by telling him that his parents do not truly love him, making him feel like he doesn’t belong in his family. Also, he says, “‘But we need you. The buggers may seem like a game to you now, Ender, but they damn near wiped us out last time...” (Card 25). He says this to Ender in order to make him feel like he needs to go and that he belongs commanding a ship fighting the buggers.
Card is trying to show the reader that Ender is choosing war over comfort. Ender even said “I don’t want to go, but I will” (Card 26). This shows me that Ender decides to side with Graff and that he is willing to fight to save the planet. Also, it shows how Ender is breaking away from his family and past life and going on to fight in a war.

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Troop 4

10/30/2014 12:09:57 pm

Graff persuades Ender to go to battle school because he says “Not anything you do, Ender. Your life itself. Your brother hates you because you are living proof that he wasn’t good enough. Your parents resent you because of all the past they are trying to evade” (Card 23). Graff says this to Ender to make him feel bad about himself. He wants Ender to think that he won’t miss living here and going away.

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Troop 4

10/30/2014 12:18:00 pm

The author includes the part when Ender takes Graff’s hand because it shows that Ender is beginning to trust Graff. He is trusting Graff more than he has trusted anyone before and he wants to go with Graff.

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Troop 5

10/30/2014 12:11:41 pm

Graff persuades Ender to go to Battle School by telling him that his family won’t miss him long and it won’t be as hard to leave. Also he says “We need the best we can get, and we need them fast” (Card 25). He says this to persuade Ender to believe he’s the best and that it is a privilege to be accepted into Battle School. When the author wrote, “He reached up and took Colonel Graff’s hand and walked out the door with him” (Card 26), this shows that Ender is just a kid. Although he is destined for greatness, he still is young and feels confused and scared. When Ender takes Graff’s had this also shows that Ender is looking for comfort.

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Troop 3

10/30/2014 12:12:12 pm

Graff persuades Ender to go to battle school by talking to Ender alone, without the influence of his parents or siblings in the room. Also, Graff persuades Ender to go to battle school by reminding him that he is a third and not many people care or like Ender for that fact. He was trying to convince Ender that there was more potential in Battle School than the life he was currently living. Graff was also flattering Ender because he talked about how smart Ender was and how he could do great things for mankind and convinced Ender to leave his home. The author writes, “ ‘But if there’s a chance that because you’re with the fleet, mankind might survive and the buggers might leave us alone forever-then I’m going to ask you to do it. To come with me’ ”(Card 25). When Ender is leaving to learn how to fight a war, he takes Graff’s hand because he is showing that he is trusting Graff to take care of him. “He reached up and took Colonel Graff’s hand and walked out the door with him” (Card 26).

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Troop 7

10/30/2014 12:15:55 pm

Graff persuades Ender to go to Battle School. Graff explains to Ender that his family does love him, but they don’t really need him there. He says that it would be better for him to go to battle school for a better future. When Graff says, “Well, no one wants a third anymore. You can’t expect them to be glad” (Card 22). This shows that he is too much trouble for for his family to keep him.The text states,”Not anything you do, Ender. Your life itself. Your brother hates you because you are living proof he wasn’t good enough. Your parents resent you because all the past they are trying to evade”(Card 23). This shows how the parents and his brother don’t need him and that he should go.
Ender takes Graff’s had because Graff is seems like his only friend, at the moment. He doesn’t have Peter or his parents anymore. The only person he has left, besides Graff, is Valentine, so he decides to go to battle school.

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Troop 9

10/30/2014 12:22:11 pm

He persuades Ender to go to Battle School by trying to tell him that even though his family loves him, he is the reason why they have tension in the house. “So my parents love me and don’t love me?’ ‘They love you. The question is whether they want you here. Your presence in this house is a disruption. A source of tension. Do you understand?’” (Card 23). This helps show how Graff persuades Ender by telling him that he will be ok, and his family won’t miss him, and he won’t miss them after a while. He is also telling him that he will be appreciated more. At home he is just known as third, but in battle school he will thrive and the other boys will rally around him. Because when he is gone, the Wiggin house will be less tense and be more relaxed. When Ender is learning how to fight a war, he takes Graff’s hand; we think that he does this because he is placing his trust in him. Ender is viewing Graff as a father figure that he never really had. “He reached up and took Colonel Graff’s hand and walked out the door with him” (Card 26).

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Troop 2

10/30/2014 11:13:49 pm

Graff persuaded Ender to come with him by being honest in saying how difficult Battle School would be, but that he could a great commander who could stop the buggers. Ender did not want to leave his family, but he understood that the world needed him. In the story it says “‘But if there’s a chance that because you’re with the fleet, mankind might survive and the buggers might leave us alone forever- then I’m going to ask you to do it. To come with me’” (Card 25). Ender holds Graff’s hand because he trusts him to take care of him while he is getting to Battle School. Ender says, “‘I’m afraid… but I’ll go with you’” (Card 26). This shows that even though Ender is scared, he knows that he will be safe with Graff.

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N.K.

11/13/2014 11:45:48 am

Graff persuades Ender to go to Battle School by first telling him of all the hard work He would have to go through and sacrifices Ender would have to make, “‘...if you come with me, you won’t be back here for a long time. There aren’t any vacations from Battle School. No visitors, either. A full course of training lasts until you’re sixteen years old…’” (Card 21) I believe Graff is getting all of the “bad news” out of the way first, so that all he will have left to say is the “good news”. He also tells Ender that Valentine will change and grow into a woman by the time he sees her again, and that he won’t know her anymore. When Ender asks about his parents, Graff assures him that he won’t miss them based on what he has witnessed through Ender’s monitor, and his parents won’t miss him for long either. Graff made Ender believe that his parents didn’t want him. “‘They [Ender’s parents] love you. The question is whether they want you here. Your presence in this house is a constant disruption. A source of tension.’” (Card 23) Then, Graff emphasizes why Graff is pleading Ender to give consent in order for him to be enrolled in Battle School. “‘...But we need you. The buggers may seem like a game to you now, Ender, but they damn near wiped us out last time...The only thing that saved us was that we had the most brilliant military commander we ever found...we had Mazer Rackham. But we don’t have him now, Ender...But if there’s a chance that because you’re with the fleet, mankind might survive and the buggers might leave us alone forever - then I’m going to ask you to do it. To come with me.’” (Card 25) Extrapolating from the text, one can clearly identify Graff’s desperation for Ender to come to Battle School. That is what triggers Ender’s consent to go. He tells Graff that he is going, even though he is afraid, because that is what he was born for and if he doesn’t go, what is the reason of his very existence? He is going even though he doesn’t want to.
During Ender’s exodus from his family to Battle School, He takes Graff’s hand. Orson Scott Card. the author of this novel, has included this action in the text to signify that Ender is moving on from his family. It is like how Graff said that Ender wouldn’t miss his parents and his parents wouldn’t miss him over time either. He is leaving his parents and Graff is taking their place instead. It symbolizes Ender’s departure.